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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24325570">The War of the Roses</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bibliosoph/pseuds/bibliosoph'>bibliosoph</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Red White &amp; Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Alex is kinda a bitch, Cute, M/M, MY BABIES, Single Tear, baby tear, cute with a dash of angst, flower shop au, i might be on crack, idk what im doing, read if you want</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:29:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24325570</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bibliosoph/pseuds/bibliosoph</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex and Henry run rival flower shops. </p><p>
  <i>This means war.</i>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>119</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The War of the Roses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alex knows that he’s hot––he uses it to his advantage. If there’s a hot guy or girl that walks in, all he has to do is bat his eyes and, like magic, they buy something. Sometimes, if they’re especially beautiful, he gives them a free flower––usually a white camellia if he’s got them in stock. It does wonders for the business, really, so June never says anything about the free flowers. They’ve got a good system going, the two of them. He’s the face of the shop. He greets customers, answers any questions they might have, and checks them out (both literally and metaphorically). June’s the one who usually does the arrangements because she’s better with the whole color thing, but Alex is the one who knows the meaning of each flower like the back of his hand. When they do specials for what they like to call “The Power of the Flower,” he picks out the flowers with the important meanings and June decides which ones actually look good together.</p><p>Since it’s the first few weeks of summer, one of their “The Power of the Flower” specials is happening right now as a way to welcome in the new season and the warmth and happiness that comes with it. Usually, in the summertime, most of the arrangements they get are for happier feelings like love or excitement or, on occasion, a proposal. They get a few requests for some really great “fuck you” arrangements that Alex always enjoys because of the irony––why send flowers, even mean ones, to someone you supposedly hate? The idea is ridiculous and he loves it.</p><p>Historically, they’ve been the only flower shop in this area. It’s a hipster sort of place and, since all of their flowers are pretty local and sustainably farmed or whatever, people flock here to get succulents and arrangements. They’ve made bank here for the past three years until The Incident, that is.</p><p>Alex refuses to actually say the name of it out loud because it makes his blood boil. That fucking blond-haired dude and his friend (well, the friend seems okay) and their fucking flower shop. Like, when someone opens up a business, Alex thinks they should probably scope out the area first to make sure there aren’t any competitors in the area or something. That seems like the smart thing to do. But this bastard with blue eyes and a perfect fucking smile came in and set up shop directly across the street from his own flower shop. And he knows that the Green House has loyal customers like Ted and Ginger and Simon. And he knows that they’ve been here longer and therefore are generally the first place to pop into people’s minds when they want flowers, but since the other store is directly across the street, it steals customers away sometimes.</p><p>Like today, for example.</p><p>And the worst part is that Alex can see that smug bastard’s pretty face while he’s stabbing Alex in the fucking back. Whenever Alex looks out the window to see how things are going across the street, the blond guy is always there with an evil, smug smile and a sarcastic wave. Like this is all some fucking joke to him.</p><p>Well, Alex isn’t having it anymore. Not during The Power of the Flower time.</p><p>“June,” he groans from the front desk. The place is empty, save for the two of them.</p><p>She pops her head out from the back area where she makes the arrangements. “Please don’t tell me you’re staring at Henry again.”</p><p>His face contorts. “Who the fuck is Henry?”</p><p>She rolls her eyes and comes over to him, wrapping her arms around him to calm him. “The guy from the V&amp;A. The one you keep staring at.”</p><p>Alex huffs. “He started it. Anyway, we need a plan of attack. He’s stealing our customers!”</p><p>“He’s not––”</p><p>“He’s <i>stealing</i> them, June. Along with my fucking sanity.”</p><p>June sighs and looks out the window, waving at Henry. “He seems perfectly nice. I know his partner, Pez, is a nice guy. I walked in a––”</p><p>Alex gasps in horror. “You went in? Judas!”</p><p>“I just went in to see how they were running things,” June explains. “And they serve tea, you know. They make it themselves.”</p><p>Alex growls and slams his fist against the counter. “Unbelievable. Well, that fucking settles it.”</p><p>He stomps off and into the backroom to collect his thoughts with June close at his heels.</p><p>“What are you doing?”</p><p>“Figuring out a plan of attack,” he explains, pulling out a pen and paper. “We need to up our game, Bug. We can’t let them win.”</p><p>“It’s not a competition!”</p><p>“It is now.”</p><p>He decides to bravely and calmly storm across the street to check out the competition, just to see what they have going on. As soon as he opens the door, a bell rings to announce his entrance. When he steps into the place with steam practically coming out of his ears, a guy that is not the blond one––so Pez, probably––greets him with a smile. He’s wearing flowy pants and, more importantly, a fucking V&amp;A shirt that looks hand-stitched. He’s even got little flowers painted on his cheeks and a flower crown on his head.</p><p>“Hi,” he beams at Alex. He’s British, it seems. “Welcome to the V&amp;A! My name’s Pez, so just give me a shout if you need anything, okay, darling?”</p><p>Alex fights the urge to roll his eyes. “I’m not a customer, actually,” he huffs, folding his arms across his chest.</p><p>“Oh? Are you here for me then?” Pez asks, batting his eyes and smiling.</p><p>“I’m here to speak to the owner. Blond? Bland?”</p><p>Pez raises an eyebrow at him. “Henry?”</p><p>Alex rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure. Whatever. Can I talk to him please?”</p><p>“If the issue is that he never called you back, I––”</p><p>“He’s not a <i>suitor</i>, Pez,” another voice says from behind Alex. Alex turns and sees, in all his fucking glory, Henry. He’s wearing the same shirt Pez is wearing but neatly tucked into a pair of snug jeans. His hair looks fucking perfect somehow, and he’s carrying a tray of what looks like baked goods. “In fact, I think he might think us enemies.”</p><p>“No shit,” Alex huffs. “You’re stealing my customers!”</p><p>Henry rolls his eyes but he’s smiling like this is all hilarious. “Oh, am I?”</p><p>Alex is fucking fuming. “Yeah! You knew we were right across the street. Literally. I can actually fucking see your smug face when I’m working and I hate it.”</p><p>Henry sighs and moves past him.</p><p>Their shoulders knock together.</p><p>Alex follows Henry and watches as he sets the tray down on the old, wooden counter. He starts taking the treats off the tray and carefully moves them to some sort of ornate platter.</p><p>“You serve food now, too?” Alex asks.</p><p>“Not always,” Henry explains, “only when I bake. I feel that it adds a special something to the experience, you know?”</p><p>Alex is practically seething. “Okay, well, I just wanted to come over here to say fuck you, fuck your stupid store, and fuck your fucking pastries.”</p><p>Henry raises his fucking perfectly manicured eyebrows in surprise. “I hardly think that seems appropriate. We’re not enemies, Alex. We just both happen to own stores on the same street.”</p><p>Alex shakes his head so violently that it hurts a little bit. “No, no, no. You opened this store up directly across the street from mine. And you made it the exact same kind of store. What the fuck is wrong with you? Seriously, man? It’s not cool. Okay, also, how the fuck did you know my name?”</p><p>Henry has the fucking audacity to touch Alex’s chest. Alex opens his mouth to say something but Henry beats him to it.</p><p>“Nametag,” he says with a smug smile. Alex looks down and sees that, sure enough, Henry is poking the name tag on his apron.</p><p>Alex slaps Henry’s hand away. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you? Coming here, doing your fucking––whatever the fuck you’re doing––and messing with my business? I’ll make you regret you ever touched a flower, okay?”</p><p>Before Henry has the chance to respond, Alex stomps out of the shop. In his rage, he fumbles to get the door open. Pez helps him out and opens it for him so he can continue to rage-stomp out of the stupid fucking shop and away from Henry’s stupid fucking face.</p><p>So Alex does what he does best: he makes a list.</p><p>
  <i>Things the V&amp;A does that we don’t do:</i>
</p><p>
  <i>1. Tea (fucking homemade tea. Those fuckers)</i>
</p><p>
  <i>2. Flowers based on your personality</i>
</p><p>
  <i>3. Free baked goods for some fucking reason</i>
</p><p>
  <i>4. Terrariums</i>
</p><p>He wonders, vacantly, if they’re even a real fucking flower shop. With the amount of random drinks and foods that seem to float through their shop, Alex thinks they might be more of a fucking general store or café. But, since he’s determined to beat them, he’ll play along. He can’t bake for shit, but he gets the fixings for coffee––including fucking organic flavor syrup. June helps him set up some little spiritual packages––little kits including crystals and special plants for different purposes. He’ll be damned if he lets the people from across the street steal their customers.</p><p>A day after they implement the little spiritual kits, he finds a package outside the door as he’s coming in for the day. Curious, he picks it up and takes it inside. They never get packages here––only deliveries from farmers who come in and make the drop off in person. He takes it inside and places it on the desk, staring at it for a moment before he decides that, even though the only thing written on it is his name, he’s going to open it.</p><p>Inside is a collection of assorted items. There are some pink scones, some packages of loose leaf tea, and a bundle of chamomiles. The chamomiles are really what set Alex off and make him know exactly who fucking gave this to him.</p><p>Chamomiles. <i>Patience in adversity.</i></p><p>Alex is going to kill him.</p><p>He stomps into the V&amp;A for the second time and marches right up to Henry who’s behind the desk, seemingly setting the register up for the day.</p><p>Henry looks surprised to see him which only makes Alex even more pissed off. “We’re not open yet,” Henry tells him, sounding bored. “But we’ll be open in thirty minutes if you’d like to come back then.”</p><p>Alex slams his fist onto the counter. In his hand is a bouquet of assorted flowers––crab blossoms, petunias, red dahlias, and rhododendrons. The bouquet is, most simply, an “I hate you” and “go fuck yourself” arrangement. The colors might not work well together, but Alex is so beyond caring at this point.</p><p>Henry eyes the flowers for a moment, probably trying to recognize and place them each in his mind. For some reason, the angry flowers make him smile. “Are these for me?”</p><p>“Obviously,” Alex huffs, releasing his hold of them and taking a step back.</p><p>Henry picks them up and looks at them for a moment. “And <i>you</i> made this?”</p><p>Alex nods, not really sure what’s going on here.</p><p>Henry sighs. “Well, if you’d ever like lessons on how to make a proper arrangement, please let me know.”</p><p>Alex glares at him. His heart feels like it’s thumping in his fucking ears. “<i>What.</i>”</p><p>“We offer workshops, you know. We get some nice wine and teach people how to put flowers together properly. Given what I see here, you lack the proper eye for this sort of thing. While I understand the intent, I have to say that I’m a bit disappointed with the execution of it. Since you own your own shop, I would have expected something…better, I suppose. It’s no wonder you think we’re stealing your customers––they must just be appalled by your work.”</p><p>Alex grits his teeth and gets close to Henry, staring him down. “Go fuck yourself,” he seethes.</p><p>He rushes out again, furious. He needs a better plan––something that will make this all go away. He needs a plan that will make Henry run for the fucking hills.</p><p>June helps him make it, though she seems hesitant. It takes about a day of looking through flower meanings and consulting with June to get it done, but when it’s done, it’s fucking perfect. It’s a large, obnoxious arrangement filled with hate flowers and plants that he hopes will make Henry really get the message. It’s beautiful but vile and Alex has never been more satisfied with his work. He leaves the arrangement outside the doors of the V&amp;A before he goes home for the day, excited to see what Henry’s reaction will be the next morning.</p><p>When he’s on his way to work the next morning––running a bit late––he gets a call from June. He picks up, hoping it’s not something bad. He might slap himself if he forgot to lock up again.</p><p>“You took it too far,” she tells him.</p><p>He stops walking. “What?”</p><p>It sounds almost like she’s crying. Or, at least, someone’s crying. “The thing with Henry,” she explains. “I get the arrangement, okay? It’s all in good fun. But doing that to his store…”</p><p>“I literally have no idea what you’re talking about,” Alex says truthfully.</p><p>He rounds the corner onto the street where his shop is and sees it almost immediately. Out front is his arrangement, right where he left it, but it’s surrounded by broken glass. The sign for Henry’s shop has been painted over in slurs. What looks like a rock or a brick has been thrown through the window. He can’t stop staring at it––staring at the terrible words that someone’s written about Henry on the sign. He hangs up on June and rushes inside the Green House, finding Henry and Pez there, too. It looks like June has given them both blankets and some of that tea they sent over a few days ago. And they do not look happy to see Alex.</p><p>“Alex,” June says, pulling him aside as soon as he enters, “why would you do that?”</p><p>“Bug, I swear,” he says, “it wasn’t me, okay? I––I would never write that kind of stuff, you know that. I didn’t even know he was gay.”</p><p>She sighs and rubs her eyes. “Look, they think you’re the one that did it. You shouldn’t be here, okay? Even if it’s not your fault, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Just…go home, okay?”</p><p>The look she shoots him seems final so Alex leaves. He doesn’t want to make this any worse for Henry but…he feels terrible. Even though he’s not the one that did it, he still feels like shit about it. So he doesn’t sleep that night, instead, he's trying to figure out what he can do to help.</p><p>He doesn’t know why he’s so worried about Henry. It makes no sense for him to be this upset about Henry because, as he’s told Henry to his face, he hates him. He hates Henry’s stupid face and his hair and his fucking cute shop. Maybe what he hates most, though, is that he can’t stop fucking thinking about him. It’s ridiculous how much Henry has filled his mind lately. Henry, even as an enemy, is all he’s been able to think about since this whole thing started. And it’s driving him insane and he feels like he’s drowning because Henry’s upset and there’s not a single fucking thing he can do about it.</p><p>But he can try.</p><p>When he comes in the next morning, Henry is still there. He’s sitting in the backroom and looking blankly at the wall like there’s something really interesting there. Alex sighs and sits down next to him. Henry visibly stiffens.</p><p>“Hey,” Alex says.</p><p>Henry scoffs. “‘Hey?’ Is that all you have to say to me?”</p><p>Nervous, Alex fiddles with his fingers. “No. I mean…I don’t even know what to say."</p><p>“I think you’ve said enough,” Henry says. “I wasn’t trying to steal your customers and, even if I was and even if you hated me for it, that’s no reason for you to…you wrote awful things. Vile things, Alex. Things that no one should ever have to hear.”</p><p>“I didn’t do that to your shop,” Alex explains. “I swear. But I’m still sorry. And I…for what it’s worth, I don’t hate you at all.”</p><p>This makes Henry look over at him, obviously confused. “I thought––”</p><p>“Yeah,” Alex chuckles. “Me too, honestly. But I––you can hate me forever if you want. And I’m really fucking sorry that happened to your store because you don’t deserve it, but I want to help.”</p><p>He pulls an envelope out of his pocket. Henry takes it with shaking hands and opens it to reveal, first, a white tulip, then a wad of cash. “Alex…”</p><p>“The white tulip means new beginnings,” Alex explains, just in case Henry doesn’t already know. “And the money is for whatever you want. Awning, a window, whatever.”</p><p>“Love,” Henry whispers.</p><p>Alex raises an eyebrow. “What?”</p><p>Henry looks over at him with big red eyes. “The white tulip,” he says, swallowing a lump in his throat, “also means love. It’s…it’s romantic.”</p><p>Alex feels his face turn bright red. He rubs the back of his neck. “Like I said,” he whispers, staring into Henry’s eyes. “I don’t hate you.”</p><p>Henry’s lips tug up in the corners for a moment before he moves forward, closing the distance between them. Henry’s lips are soft on his own and Alex can’t help but melt into it. His hands instantly find their way to Henry’s hair which is softer than he imagined it to be. Henry’s free hand wraps around Alex’s waist, pulling him closer as he deepens the kiss. The whole thing is making Alex feel like he’s being set on fire in the best way possible.</p><p>They pull back for a moment, staring at each other. Alex takes Henry’s face in his hands, rubbing his jaw with the pad of his thumb. “I’m sorry about your store.”</p><p>“It’s alright. It wasn’t your fault.”</p><p>“I know but…we’ll fix it, okay? Together.”</p><p>Henry stares at him for a moment, those blue eyes making Alex’s body tingle. “You mean that?”</p><p>Alex nods and kisses him quickly again. “‘Course I do. I know we made good enemies but I’ve got a feeling that we’ll make even better partners.”</p><p>A week later, Henry’s store is fixed and in full swing again. On his way to work, Alex stops by just to see how Henry’s doing. When he walks in, Henry puts down the arrangement he’s working on and rushes over, wrapping his arms around Alex and kissing him.</p><p>“Good morning, love,” Henry beams in the small space between their lips.</p><p>Alex smiles and kisses him again. “Morning, handsome. How goes the store?”</p><p>“Fantastic, actually. We’re getting more customers than ever, thanks to you.”</p><p>Alex rolls his eyes and shoves him playfully. “It’s not <i>all</i> because of me,” he argues. “I think you underestimate the power of your pretty face.”</p><p>Henry smiles again and kisses him once more.</p><p>The two stores may still be across the street from each other, but you’d have no idea they were once owned by two sets of different people. Marking the space between them is a road of chalk-drawn flowers, inviting you to step inside either one. If you go into the Green House, you’ll find flowers for every occasion and a variety of healing crystals and succulents. If you go into the V&amp;A, you’ll find sweet treats, delicious beverages, and, their newest edition, little dogs made of wire and covered in flowers available for purchase.</p><p>Even though two of the owners, the blond one and the short one with a mess of curls, work in different shops, you can see the way they look at each other through the glass––lovesick smiles on both of their faces.</p><p>Yeah, Alex thinks he might ask June if he can switch with Pez soon.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>howdy!</p><p>sorry this is terrible! oops</p><p> i'm @bibliothesoph on tumblr if you wanna talk or gimme a prompt!!!!!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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